‘Diversity is dire in education’ – the grassroots campaign bringing change to the face of school leadership

"I spend every working day with children, parents, teacher and leaders from a range of different backgrounds, and until they are able to pass through professional and educational life without needing to contemplate being disadvantaged by their skin colour, their culture or their religion, there is a pressing need for #BAMEed."

Jonny Walker, Assistant Director, Elmhurst Primary School, East London (from his blog about BAMEed)

What is BAMEed?

BAMEed is a grassroots network that wants to ensure that the BAME community is properly represented in the education workforce. Run entirely by volunteers, BAMEed wants to connect, enable and showcase the talent of diverse educators to inspire future generations to join the profession, and open up opportunities for those who are already in it.

What are they doing?

Their first task is to create a database of BAME educators to match professional coaches with coachees. They also plan to work with academics, professional development experts and others to understand the causes for the lack of diversity in the sector, especially among leaders.

The BAMEed steering group is looking for opportunities to collaborate and developing the strategic vision and function of the organisation, while the core group is developing resources and organising regional support.

There's also the Diversity Leaders Programme. Run alongside #WomenEd, this is a new leadership programme funded by the Department for Education that identifies and nurtures leadership talent among BAME educators.

Who can take part?

Absolutely anyone. The network welcomes everyone, including colleagues from outside the BAME community. All you need is a commitment to ensuring that all members of society can access and progress in education careers.

How can I get involved?

The first thing to do is to follow @BAMEedNetwork on Twitter so you can keep up with the latest discussions and developments. You can also visit the website or email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

You can also join the database of BAME educators if you would like to be kept informed about training, inset and events etc.